The Santa Barbara County Superior Court is set to make a ruling Wednesday on whether a Santa Maria man accused of a slew of felonies is mentally competent to stand trial.

James Alexander, 33, arrested on suspicion of rape, robbery, assault and other charges in 2003, was released from Patton State Hospital in December 2005 after doctors there found him mentally competent to stand trial. He has since been housed in Santa Barbara County Jail, where his attorney said he is not getting his mental health medication.

Alexander jittered at the defense table throughout a hearing in Santa Maria Wednesday, during which his attorney,

Senior Deputy Public Defender Kurt Hamblet, suggested that Alexander be sent back to

Patton State Hospital for a

brief stay.

“I think the turnaround from Patton will be very quick,” he said.

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The prosecutor on the case, Senior Deputy District Attorney Lynn Cutler, maintained that Alexander was competent to stand trial.

Judge James Rigali remarked that Alexander appeared more lucid than he had at other court appearances. He is scheduled to announce the court's decision regarding Alexander's competency on Wednesday.

Alexander is facing charges stemming from an Oct. 27, 2003, burglary at Walgreens on North Broadway in which he allegedly assaulted Scott Schoenefeld with an M-12 pistol, as well as felony charges from a robbery at Payless Shoesource on South Broadway on Nov. 13, 2003. During the robbery, Alexander allegedly raped a woman.

Alexander is also accused of child sex crimes, according to Cutler, and a felony charge of escape by force or violence for allegedly trying to escape from custody outside the Santa Maria courthouse on Feb. 4, 2004.

Alexander was arrested in November 2003 at the conclusion of a hostage situation in Hemet, during which the suspect reportedly held his then 2-year-old daughter captive.

Cutler said several hours after Wednesday's hearing that he thought Alexander was a fraud.

“I think he's ready to stand trial, period,” he said.

Hamblet said outside court that it had been a year since doctors had assessed his client.

“Week by week, he just got worse and worse and worse again,” he said.

“My hope is that if he's on medication he will be a different person,” Hamblet added.

Samantha Yale can be reached at 739-2159 or syale@santamariatimes.com.

May 4, 2007